In late 2008, I started working on a feature length documentary about Improv Everywhere. I thought it would take me about 6 months to finish. It ended up taking over 4 years and that’s only because I had a group of talented people helping me out. Both of my parents were incredibly supportive the whole time but funny enough, it was my mom who told me about Improv Everywhere. In a letter she sent me back in 2002, she included a newspaper clipping about the up and coming group and I was immediately intrigued.
Shortly after receiving the letter, I had begun taking improv classes at the UCB theater and that’s where I met Charlie Todd, the founder of the group and I began participating in his events. As I got more involved, I began producing the videos with Charlie and it was then that I decided to also make a film about what we were doing. Although the film didn’t come out until 2013, my parents' support never wavered. When the film premiered in Syracuse, it was a lot of work to put together, but of course my mom helped out.
In addition to my mom inviting all of her friends, she even picked up the phone book and started cold calling random organizations inviting them to the screening. I even recorded a clip because I found it so endearing.
Although we didn’t fill the theater, people began to pour into the venue about a half hour before showtime and sharing this with experience with my parents was one of the highlights of my career. After the film was over, I asked my mom what her favorite part of the movie was and she said that it was when my name came up on the screen which really made me laugh. She was so proud and I'm thankful that I got to share that with her.
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